Bell leads the pack during local ASA STARS event
Christopher Bell smiles with the trophy he received after winning an Appalachian Sucker Punch ASA STARS Super Late Model National Tour race at Tri-County Speedway in Hudson on Sept. 9. The feature consisted of 250 laps.
After beginning the previous Saturday, Tri-County Speed Week continued on Wednesday, Sept. 9, at Tri-County Speedway in Hudson as the Appalachian Sucker Punch ASA STARS Super Late Model National Tour made its debut at the track.
Keelan Harvick, son of NASCAR Hall of Famer Kevin Harvick, was the fastest driver all week in practice and won the pole for the 250-lap race in his No. 62 Hunt Brothers Toyota with a lap of 15.154 seconds.
At the start of the race, Harvick grabbed the lead and set the pace, while recent NASCAR Cup Series race winner Christopher Bell — fresh off his victory in the Cook Out Southern 500 on Sept. 6 at Darlington Raceway in South Carolina — started eighth and was running second by the 22nd lap. ASA points leader Carson Brown started 12th and sliced his way through the field, passing Bell for second on the 28th lap before taking the top spot on lap 38.
The first caution flag came out on lap 54 when Kyle Steckly got spun going into the second turn and backed his No. 22 Toyota into the fence. The second yellow flag was displayed on the 75th lap to signal the end of the first stage, at which point Brown, Harvick, and Bell were running first, second, and third. However, Harvick was ultimately unable to finish after being forced out just over halfway through the race due to an issue with his car.
“The camshaft broke,” Harvick said. “We had a fast hot rod and were looking forward to the finish.”
Brown and Bell later pitted for fuel and tires, giving the lead to Cole Butcher. On the lap 139 restart, Brown was fifth and Bell was eighth. Three laps later, they were second and third, respectively, and applying pressure on Butcher’s rear bumper.
On lap 146, Brown retook the lead and was out front when the fourth and final caution flag flew on lap 150 to signal the end of the second stage. Brown and Bell restarted on the front row and put on a tremendous battle for the lead. The two displayed incredible race craft and car control, riding door-to-door as Bell grabbed the lead on the 158th lap and fought with Brown for several laps before driving away and taking the checkered flag.
“That was incredible,” Bell said in victory lane. “Felt like the old days back at Millbridge (in Salisbury). I enjoy racing late models and going back to my favorite short tracks. I had never raced here before tonight, but now Tri-County is on my list of favorite tracks.”
Brown finished second, Ty Fredrickson came in third, Casey Roderick took fourth, and Derek Kraus finished fifth. The rest of the top 10, in order, included the lone female driver, Jade Avedisian, as well as Butcher, Conner Jones, Vito Cancilla, and Brent Crews.
The night started with a national qualifier for the Legends car series. After 30 laps, the top three crossed the finish line in a dead heat. Brexton Busch, son of Kyle Busch, finished first ahead of Lucas Palacio and Case James. The young Busch’s victory drew a lively reaction from the crowd, and he later got on top of his car and did the victory lane bow his late father made famous.
The third and final night of Tri-County Speed Week was scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 12, with the CARS Tour 225, but Mother Nature had other plans. Afternoon showers forced the race to be postponed until Sunday, Sept. 13.
Conner Jones (far right) was the winner of the 125-lap CARS Tour Late Model feature during an event at Tri-County Speedway in Hudson on Sept. 13.
Caden Kvapil started on the pole of the 125-lap Late Model feature, with Conner Jones starting third. Nevertheless, Jones took the lead on the 31st lap and dominated the rest of the race.
Jones’ teammate and 2025 Tri-County Speedway track champion, Landon Huffman, was part of a caution with just five laps left in the race. The field was bunched together, but Jones was able to hold off Carson Loftin and Kvapil to take his second victory of the season.
Jones was also a major factor in the opening Pro Late Model feature. He was the leader with the laps winding down when he and TJ DeCaire bumped each other, allowing third place Brody Monahan to take the lead and win the 100-lap event. Jones was second and DeCaire finished third, with their crews having to be separated in the pits following the race.
Tri-County will be quiet for a few weeks before the SMART Modified Tour roars into Hudson on Oct. 3.
East Burke High School 2025 graduate Landon S. Huffman came in fourth during an ARCA Menards Series race at Indiana’s Salem Speedway on Sept. 12. The scheduled distance was 212 laps, but the drivers ended up racing 216 laps due to an overtime finish.
EB grad competes in ARCA Menards Series
East Burke High School 2025 graduate Landon S. Huffman raced in the ARCA Menards Series on Sept. 12, qualifying seventh at the legendary Salem Speedway in Salem, Ind. The Spruce 212 was broadcast live on the FOX network.
Huffman raced with the lead much of the night and got a lot of TV time. Even after a spin on lap 126 that knocked his rear bumper off and caused him to glance off the wall a couple of times, he finished fourth.
Huffman is scheduled to pull double duty this weekend at Bristol Motor Speedway in Tennessee, where he will attempt to participate in both the ARCA and O’Reilly Auto Parts Series races.
Both Hickory Motor Speedway and Morganton’s HorsePower Park will host their final points races of 2026 on Sept. 19. The tracks will then hold non-points events in October and November.
